In some applications, rolling-element bearings are axially fixed in a housing or to another object. To make this possible, at least one bearing ring is often provided with a solid flange. That is, the bearing inner ring or the bearing outer ring includes a flange or is connected to a flange, and often the bearing ring and the flange are manufactured from one part, i.e., one-piece, for example as a forged part. In addition, it is also known to attach a flange to a bearing ring. For example, a bearing carrier, e.g., a bearing housing, may be is often provided, with a flange, and the rolling-element bearing or the bearing ring of the rolling-element bearing may be connected to the bearing housing in a friction-fit-, materially-bonded-, and/or interference-fit-manner. In this context “interference-fit” means a connection that prevents a relative movement of the mutually connected components in at least one connection direction and that the geometry of the components used for the connection is selected such that they overlap in a direction preferably perpendicular to the connection direction in order to prevent the movement in the connection direction. In this context “friction-fit” means a connection that prevents a relative movement of the mutually connected components in at least one direction by a force between the components acting perpendicular to the connection direction, which, for example, leads to increased cohesion- or adhesion-forces. A friction fit is present in particular as long as a force between the components effected by the static friction is not exceeded. In this context “materially-bonded” means a connection that prevents a relative movement of mutually connected components in at least one direction imparted by atomic or molecular forces. Here a mixing of the materials of the connected components can at least partially occur at a boundary surface. This need not occur exclusively between the materials of the connected components alone. Rather, in addition a material component effecting or supporting the mixing, for example, in the form of an adhesive or of a material of a welding rod can be present so that a plurality of materials are mixed with one another on a microscopic scale at the boundary surface.
One of the known possibilities is to connect the bearing ring or the rolling-element bearing to the bearing housing in an interference-fit manner by overmolding with plastic. The methods used to date are extremely time- and cost-intensive, since these make necessary expensive processings of the components used, for example, the forging of a bearing ring in a one-piece component or the machining of a bearing carrier.
There is therefore a need to provide a method, using which a bearing ring or a rolling-element bearing including a flange for axial attaching of the rolling-element bearing can be manufactured cost-effectively and efficiently.